Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), Medziphema observed its 6th foundation-cum-two-day framers training on “Organic Farming in Horticulture Crops” at SASRD auditorium, Medziphema on Sunday. The occasion was graced by vice chancellor, Assam Agriculture University, Assam Dr. K.M. Bajur Baruah as chief guest and commissioner and secretary, animal husbandry and sericulture, Government of Nagaland, Thangi Mannen as guest of honour. In his foundation day lecture-cum-address, Baruah reminded the farmers present at the training to find out the actual requirements before shifting to organic farming. For this, he urged the farmers to start producing local products such as bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides before going organic. The vice chancellor said that farmers have to be ready with inputs since bio fertilizers alone cannot help them. “If fertilizers stop then, bio-fertilizers has to take its place”, said the vice chancellor. He disclosed that 130 countries in the world are presently practicing organic farming and for which the global organic food and beverages market is expected to reach 104.5 billion USD by 2015. He further reminded the farmers to produce an item under certain guidelines and identify and expand the areas which have rich resources. According to Thangi Mannen, CIH was an economic package awarded to Nagaland by former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his visit to Nagaland in October 2003 as State Horticulture Institute. Later when it was found that central institute would be more beneficial than state institute, the CIH was established, Mannen said. It was formally inaugurated by union minister Sharad Pawar on March 27, 2006 during the first North East Expo. Since then, CIH has taken a lot of challenges, said Mannen and added the institute was still on the process of building up with new challenges on its way. The commissioner also said CIH covering north east in imparting trainings was appreciable and urged farmers and staff to extend full support to the institute. Though the horticulture department has overlapped with regard to schemes, Thangi however reiterated that it was never stagnant and that it kept on changing with new technologies. In this regard, Mannen urged farmers and CIH to keep themselves updated with the latest information available.Director CIH, Akali Sema in her welcome address said the institute has so far conducted 101 training programmes, besides training 6500 government functionaries and north east farmers except Manipur. Earlier, former MLA and senior public leader, Medziphema, Rokoneicha said when the state was lagging behind in the field of agriculture and allied departments, the efforts put in by CIH was remarkable. He appreciated the self-less effort rendered by the CIH to the farming community. He further reminded the CIH to specify areas including developmental activities on a yearly basis to reap good results.